Kitchener hospital to house patients in Waterloo college dorm

A Waterloo college says it has reached an agreement with Kitchener‘s Grand River Hospital to house non-urgent patients amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The agreement with St. Paul’s University College will see 84 private rooms be made available to the hospital.

“We know that hospitals around the world are concerned about their capacity to accommodate the growing number of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic,” St. Paul’s Principal Richard Myers said. “St. Paul’s is happy to do its part to ensure our hospitals have the resources they need during this extraordinary period.”

The agreement, which lasts until the end of June, allows the hospital to house patients who do not need all of the resources required by the hospital.

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“Grand River Hospital has been investigating the use of temporary spaces on behalf of the hospitals in Waterloo Wellington to create capacity in area hospitals, should we need it in the coming weeks,” Grand River President Ron Gagnon said.

“This partnership will enable us to manage a potential surge in need and support us in continuing to provide the very best care to those in our community.”

St. Paul’s, which is an affiliated college of the University of Waterloo, says it is using its’ Green Wing to house the patients. It was opened in 2018 with each room containing its own washroom.

The school says no students will be in residences this term and that each room will be thoroughly sanitized before students return in the fall.